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My Experience with WeightWatchers Old Food Based Exchange Plan VS. The WW Points Based Programs

Did you ever have a nagging thought that you just couldn’t get out of your head? Here’s one that I’ve been wrestling with for a while now:

“The old Weight Watchers food based exchange program (Quick Success) from the late 1980s / early 1990s was better for my personal weight loss than counting Points”

This would be quickly followed by: “How could that be?” “You’re nuts.” “Weight Watchers is a huge public company that knows a lot more than you do.” “It’s so retro.”  “It’s just because you learned it first, it’s the plan you had initial success with and became a lifetime member following.” “You’re being nostalgic.”

I did lose weight and become a lifetime member following, Quick Success, Weight Watchers food based exchange program, long before they switched over to Points. I followed the plan, learned a ton about healthy balanced eating and portion control and consistently lost weight week after week.

Naive and cocky, I failed to take maintenance seriously. I thought I’d be able to go it alone—a big mistake in retrospect. Live and learn. I now know that I need systems, discipline, accountability and support to maintain a happy healthy weight. It’s a lifelong journey. 

Martha McKinnon's Weight Watchers Story on Simple Nourished Living: Part 1

Martha McKinnon’s Weight Watchers Story: Part 1

Martha McKinnon's Weight Watchers Story on Simple Nourished Living: Part 2

Martha McKinnon’s Weight Watchers Story: Part 2

Martha McKinnon from Simple Nourished Living Shares Her Weight Watchers Story: Part 3

Martha McKinnon’s Weight Watchers Story: Part 3

How I Came to the Conclusion that WW Food Exchanges Was Better than Points

Recently, I had a lightbulb moment: While I learned the Weight Watchers Points and Points Plus systems, and know how to calculate them, I don’t think in terms of Points, I think in terms of numbers of servings of food groups. What I learned way way back in that early 1990s Weight Watchers exchange plan has stuck with me all these years.

I think because it’s logical. You eat real food from all the food groups: starch, protein, fat, fruits, vegetables, and dairy. You are allotted so many servings from each food group every day. Once you learn serving sizes and number of servings, it’s easy to stay on track.

This way of eating was first developed for diabetics as a way to keep their blood sugar stable. And it worked really well for me. It’s a healthy balanced way of eating. It was “clean eating” back before such a term even existed.

Food exchange programs like this have been around for decades and are well tested. There’s nothing sexy, flashy or trendy about them, but they work. With exchanges you never forget that you are talking about FOOD.

So, while counting points works for some people, so does counting counting calories or food groups, and I think it’s a whole lot simpler, which is important when you are prone to laziness the way I am. When it comes to weight loss, simple is the only thing that has ever worked for me.

Then I read this interesting article in the NYT Article, which agreed with me and essentially said…

“…Recognizing this new evidence, the scientists on the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, for the first time in 35 years have sent recommendations to the government without any upper limit on total fat. In addition, reduced-fat foods were specifically not recommended for obesity prevention. Instead, the committee encouraged consumption according to healthful food-based diet patterns

The limit on total fat is an outdated concept, an obstacle to sensible change that promotes harmful low-fat foods, undermines efforts to limit refined grains and added sugars, and discourages the food industry from developing products higher in healthy fats. Fortunately, the people behind the Dietary Guidelines understand that. Will the government, policy makers and the food industry take notice this time?”

It turns out the scientists on the 2105 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee for the US, agree with me 🙂 We should learn to eat according to healthful food-based diet patterns, just like I learned to do back with that old Weight Watchers Quick Start Exchange Program.

The sad thing is that US dietary policy and Weight Watchers can’t change on a dime. It will take years or decades for this information to make its way out to the masses. In the meantime folks will continue to struggle with low fat diet thinking.

 

food collage: oatmeal, salmon, broccoli, eggs, bananas

Why I Think the Old Weight Watchers Food Based Exchange Plan Was Better for Weight Loss

I learned healthy balanced eating and portion control. It was not as restrictive as the Old Original Weight Watchers Plan from the 1960s, but more so than today’s approach which doesn’t provide enough structure and discipline for some folks.

I believe that when you are learning a new skill, such as healthy balanced eating, you need to start with the basics. You need clear instructions and guidance. You essentially need to be told what to do. You need training wheels until you learn to find your balance and begin riding without them.

We somehow have gotten to the place in our development where many of us are completely confused about how to feed ourselves in a healthy balanced way. We are overwhelmed by conflicting information. I was lost and confused when I first began WW back in the early 1990s.

WW Quick Success with it’s food based exchanges taught me a healthy balanced approach to eating that I’ve carried with me through to today.

The exchange lists group foods together because they are alike. Foods on each list have about the same amount of carbohydrate, protein, fat and calories.

a variety of healthy foods on white background

Basics of the Weight Watchers Food Based Exchange Weight Loss Program

Under the Weight Watchers Quick Success Program, as a woman, I was allowed the following each day:

  • 2-3 fruit exchanges
  • 3+ vegetable exchanges
  • 5-6 protein exchanges
  • 2-3 bread/starch exchanges
  • 3 fat exchanges
  • 2 milk exchanges
  • Beginning with the 5th week 1 optional floating exchange
  • Optional calories per week: no more than 150 week 1, no more than 200 week 2 no more than 300 week 3, no more than 400 week 4, no more than 500 week 5 and beyond.

*Men and Youths add 2 Protein Exchanges, 2 Bread Exchanges, and 1 Fruit Exchange; Youths add 1 Milk Exchange

Once you had used up your exchanges and optional calories, the only choice was to supplement with vegetables if you were still hungry. There were days when I ate a lot of vegetables 🙂 Green beans and salsa were a particular favorite.

chunks of melon, raspberries and blueberries in a white bowl

Examples from the WeightWatchers Fruit Exchange Group

Generally 1 serving is equal to:

  • 1 small fruit like an apple or orange (about 4 ounces or 3/4 cup)
  • 1 cup strawberries
  • 1 cup melon
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1/2 medium grapefruit
  • 1/2 cup blueberries, blackberries, raspberries
  • 12 large or 20 small grapes
  • 1/2 cup canned unsweetened fruit
  • 1/2 cup fruit juice
  • 2 dates
  • 4 dried apricot halves
  • 2 tablespoons raisins

Examples from the Weight Watchers Vegetable Exchange Group

Generally 1 serving is equal to:

  • 1 cup raw leafy green vegetables like lettuce or spinach
  • 1/2 cup of most other vegetables, raw or cooked
  • 1/2 cup vegetable juice
A photo collage of healthy protein rich foods

Examples from the WeightWatchers Protein Exchange Group

Generally 1 serving is equal to:

  • 1 ounce cooked meat, poultry or fish
  • 1 egg
  • 1 ounce hard or semisoft cheese
  • 1/3 cup cottage cheese
  • 1/4 cup canned tuna or salmon
  • 3 ounces tofu
  • 1/4 cup cooked dried beans, peas or lentils
a photo collage of healthy starchy foods

Examples from the WeightWatchers Bread/Starch Exchange Group

Generally 1 serving is equal to:

  • 1-ounce of bread or crackers
  • 1/2 english muffin
  • 1/2 cup cooked cereal or pasta
  • 3/4 cup cold cereal
  • 1/2 cup starchy vegetable (potatoes, peas, corn)
Olive oil being poured into a spoon

Examples from the WeightWatchers Fat Exchange Group

Generally 1 serving is equal to:

  • 1 teaspoon oil or butter or margarine or lard or mayonnaise or animal fat
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salad dressing
a photo still life of dairy rich foods

Examples from the Weight Watchers Milk/Dairy Exchange Group

Generally 1 serving is equal to:

  • 1 cup skim milk or 1% fat milk
  • 1 cup soy milk
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup instant nonfat dry milk
  • 1/2 cup low fat yogurt
  • 3/4 cup nonfat yogurt

Sample Daily Menu Based on OLD WW Food Exchanges*

BREAKFAST

  • 1/2 cup Pineapple Chunks
  • 1/3 cup Cottage Cheese
  • 1/2 cup Skim Milk
  • Coffee or Tea

LUNCH

  • Chicken & Swiss on Rye (1-1/2 ounces sliced chicken and 1/2 ounce Swiss cheese, lettuce, and 1 teaspoon mayonnaise on 2 slices reduced calorie rye bread)
  • 6 Celery Sticks and 3 Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1 cup Watermelon Chunks
  • Coffee, Tea or Mineral Water

DINNER

  • 3 ounces Baked Chicken Cutlet sprinkled with Lemon Juice and Chopped Parsley
  • 1 serving Mozzarella, Tomato and Arugula Salad
  • 1/2 cup each cooked Cauliflower and Green Beans
  • 1/2 cup pudding

SNACK

  • 1 cup Strawberries with 1/2 cup Plain Yogurt

*Men and Youths add 2 Protein Exchanges, 2 Bread Exchanges, and 1 Fruit Exchange; Youths add 1 Milk Exchange

This Simple 7-Day WW Friendly No Recipe Meal Plan: Summer Edition is inspired by this easy approach to balanced eating I came to love.

The system provided much more structure than the current points system which was important because I was clueless about how to nourish myself. It forced me to eat in a balanced way that’s effective at keeping hunger at bay.

The old system taught me about what foods are categorized as proteins, starches, fats, fruits, vegetables and milk. And what amount makes a serving. I learned that 1/2 a medium banana or 12 large grapes was equal to 1 fruit exchange and that 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta or one one ounce slice of bread equaled one starch exchange.

Sample of Old Weight Watchers Quick Start Food Tracker

Sample of Old Weight Watchers Exchange Food Tracker

These days when I want to track/food journal for a few days, I tend to use a small notebook. I just jot down what I ate for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. And I use check marks to keep track of my exchanges:

Example

B) 1/3 cup cottage cheese (1 Protein), 1/2 cup pineapple chunks (1 fruit), 1 slice wheat toast (1 bread)

Milk (2):
Fruit (3):
Veg (3+):
Protein (6):
Bread (2):
Fat (3):
Optional Cals:

Two plates of food being served
Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash

A Comparison of WW Food Exchanges VS WW Points

Weight Watchers Food Exchanges Approach:

1. Basis:

  • Concept: This approach categorizes foods into groups based on their macronutrient content (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) and assigns specific portions or “exchanges” for each group.
  • Focus: Emphasizes portion control and balance among different food groups.

2. Pros:

  • Simplicity: It provides a straightforward way to categorize and plan meals.
  • Nutrient Balance: Encourages a balanced intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
  • Education: Helps individuals understand the nutritional composition of different foods.
  • Behavioral Aspects: Includes support groups and focuses on behavior change for long-term success.

3. Cons:

  • Rigidity: Some find the need to track exchanges for every meal can be restrictive.
  • Individual Variability: May not account for individual differences in metabolism or dietary needs.

Weight Watchers Points-Based Approach:

1. Basis:

  • Concept: Assigns a point value to foods based on their nutritional content, with an emphasis on calories, saturated fat, sugar, and protein.
  • Focus: Promotes flexibility by allowing individuals to eat any food within their allocated daily or weekly points.

2. Pros:

  • Flexibility: Allows for a wide variety of foods, as long as individuals stay within their allotted points.
  • Adaptability: Can be personalized based on individual preferences and dietary restrictions.
  • Behavioral Aspects: Includes support groups and focuses on behavior change for long-term success.

3. Cons:

  • Complexity: Some may find the points system complex, especially when starting.
  • Subjectivity: Points are assigned based on specific criteria, which might not perfectly reflect an individual’s nutritional needs.

Summary:

  • The Weight Watchers food exchange-based diet focused on categorizing foods into groups, promoting balance and portion control.
  • The Weight Watchers Points-based approach assigns points to foods based on nutritional content, offering increased flexibility in dietary choices.

Ultimately, the choice between the two depends on individual preferences, lifestyle, and the level of structure or flexibility desired. Some people may find success with one method over the other based on their personal preferences and adherence. The bottom line is that to lose weight you need to figure out a way to eat less (create a calorie deficit) that you can live with.

If Points are working for you and you don’t find the process cumbersome, that’s great. Stick with what is working for you. But if counting points is not working, if calculating them seems overly complicated, or if you feel like you need more structure,  you may want to experiment with the old food based exchange approach, like the one in the Weight Watchers’ Quick Success Program Cookbook.

WW Quick Success Cookbook Cover with Salmon Steak and Book Title

If you are interested in following the old WW Program you can buy the Weight Watchers’ Quick Success Program Cookbook, which includes plan/program details and 5 weeks of Meal Plans on Amazon. 

My Favorite WW Cookbooks with Food Exchange Information

WeightWatchers included food exchange details in their cookbooks published through 1999. Some of my favorite WW Cookbooks with exchange information are:

I’ve had this cookbook since my initial go-around with Weight Watchers back in the early 1990s. Because the recipes were contributed by Weight Watchers members, staff and magazine readers they are simpler and down-home in nature.

More Interesting Reading About Food Exchange Plans

More Helpful Articles for WeightWatchers

Originally published July 2015; Updated with new photos and content January 2023

About Martha McKinnon

Weight Watchers Lifetime Member, Yoga Practitioner and Blogger who loves to share her passion for trying to create a happy, healthy, balanced life in what often feels like an overwhelming out of control world.

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383 Comments

  1. I had more successs on the old plan than I did with the new plan. On the Older plan I managed to lose 15 pounds and with this new one I’ve only lost 8 so far. My favorite foods were different points back then too and now they’re way more. I think I still have my old tracking book from that time, I should take a look at it!

    Reply

    1. Hi Jenna, Thanks for sharing your thoughts. There were a lot of folks who had difficulty transitioning from the old points plan to the new points plus plan. Even some WW leaders struggled with it. I think for many of us, the challenge came with 0 points plus fruit, which can be easy to overeat. I’ve found that to maintain my weight I can enjoy 2-3 servings of fruit a day, but not much more. And servings are smaller than we realize. According to many exchange plans, a serving of fruit is 1/2 a banana, 1/2 cup fresh fruit, 1 cup strawberries or about 12 large grapes.

      Reply

  2. i started WW when I was a junior in HS. Lost 30 pounds, didn’t achieve lifetime, but learned so much about proper balanced eating. Life took over, 3 kids and 100 pounds later, joined WW again. Was very successful using the core plan, didn’t like counting points. I needed restrictions. I reached lifetime. I became a leader for 2 years. I stopped due to marriage issues, divorced, some pounds are back on, and am searching to start up again. The program is a success, just needing to go to meetings, and hopefully they have a current Program not with points, otherwise the Internet search is on for the old program. Good luck to all

    Reply

  3. I have done both programs and I have to say that the exchanges were so limiting that I stopped doing ww. It was on the ww points system that I made it to lifetime after many attempts at other ww plans. Perhaps it was the right time for me, but I think more likely it was the right program. Even now, looking at the sample foods and menus that you posted. I could not sustain myself at my activity level with only that much food. I don’t know how many calories a day on that plan contains, but it appears to be way to low.

    I’m very happy following point plus. I find it really easy to fit into my life. It allows for occasional splurges and treats while also allowing for healthy weight loss. I found the exchange program to be too limiting and bland to do for very long.

    Reply

  4. I’d like to think that those of us who have been in WW for X amount of years, know what works for us no matter what system you choose to follow. If it works for you, do it. As for me, I’ll use the points.

    Reply

  5. Any system can be ‘gamed’: the obvious approach with the exchange plan is drinking massive amounts of V8 (which would add lots of calories beyond the plan intent). I’m certain that I would find additional tactics if I tried.
    I’m not certain that the points or points plus is any better tho. The Core Plan or Simply Filling can be abused too, but they’re harder to ‘cheat’ with if you pay attention to your hunger levels as you’re supposed to.
    The simple fact is that each person will respond better to different approaches. Any sound plan will work for some and won’t work with others. I expect that the motivation of the individual and the effort it takes for that individual to follow the plan as intended is what makes the difference.

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Cam. I’ve had good luck with Simply Filling, but only because I watch portions and limit starches. For me, too much starch, even if whole grain, will result in increased weight. Agreed, that there is no one way. Motivation, persistence and patience are key. I just think the old plan was easier to learn. Points always seems like work with all the calculating required.

      Reply

  6. I originally became a lifetime member of WW using the exchange program and basically agree with your overall point. Outright junk food — cookies, candy, cake, etc — was really limited on that program as I recall the optional calories were only about 500 calories a week. So I had to eat more “real” food.

    With Points Plus, you can kid yourself that you are following the program if you fill up with junky foods. In reality, you actually can’t if you follow the good health guidelines which will use up most of your daily points.

    Still, the greater structure of exchanges is overall healthier.

    I do have three caveats:

    1. Back in the day using the exchange type program, refined grains and whole grains were mostly treated the same. The program didn’t really do much to encourage you to eat whole grains.

    2. One of the good things about Points Plus is that it can be used with a lot of different eating styles. For example, a low carb dieter who eats no grains or starchy vegetables can follow Points Plus just fine. But, the old exchange program required grains/starches.

    3. I joined WW in 1988 and got to lifetime in 1991. This was at a time where everyone was kind of fat phobic and the exchange program certainly was. You basically had to eat low fat to meet the exchanges. I remember constantly struggling with that.

    Those problems could be corrected with some more up to date exchanges, but I think WW will never do it since people want simple not complex.

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Kitty, I appreciate your detailed thoughts. I agree that we had to eat more “real” food with the exchanges. I find it really interesting that the 2015 US Dietary Advisory Committee has done away with fat limits and is suggesting a food group based approach to weight loss. I feel like we’ve come full circle. It’s going to be really curious to see how it all plays out over the next couple of decades.

      Reply

  7. HERE HERE~~~!!! My thought exactly. I always thought, and please no hitting me!!, that the points was a gimmick to boost interest. I don’t know but for me the old program is the best!!

    Reply

    1. Hi Donna,

      Yes, I wouldn’t even venture to guess WW motivation for Points Plus. Though I did read somewhere recently that WW revenue tripled under the management that oversaw the rollout of Points! I’m one of WW biggest fans. Love their comprehensive approach to lasting weight loss. But, for me personally, I have better success with weight management when I stick with the guidelines of the old program. It was a healthy balanced approach that taught me the basics of good nutrition and portion control. The new WW Simply Filling approach can work too, but you have to pay attention to portions. The guideline to “Eat until satisfied” can result in eating too much for those of us used to eating huge portions. Just like 0 points plus fruit can be a problem when taken to the extreme!

      Reply

      1. I have never had good luck with the points system because it doesn’t really train you to change your eating habits. I could stay within my points and still not eat healthily. I also hated and rebelled when counting points. I think the point system is misrepresented by WW. So, thanks to you, and the epiphany I had when I read this post, I ordered the book and realized that the exchange system sounds so much better for me. Thanks so much!

        Reply

        1. Thanks for your comment Phyla. Hope it works. Points Plus works for lots of folks. It’s really a “currency based” weight loss system, which means that you need to manage your points like you would manage your budget. It’s works for a lot of folks. But the exchange system taught me the concepts of healthy eating that seem to have been lost in our modern world. Best of luck!!

          Reply

  8. Thanks so much for posting this. A great reminder of the basics….I too have a problem with ‘points’ and always found it easier to follow ‘exchanges’..
    You have encouraged me to again maintain my exchange lists for each day,maybe I will have decent results again.

    Reply

    1. Hi Dianne, Yes, I think that remembering to balance out your food groups/exchanges can definitely help with weight loss. I know for me when I consume too many points on starches/sweets/snacks it’s harder for me to maintain my weight.

      Reply

    2. I couldn’t agree more. I have tried the new programs several times, without the success I saw with the program, from the early 90s. HELP.

      Reply

  9. For me, a returning WW member from 1998, the Good Health Guidelines are my ‘exchanges’, along with following the USDA food pyramid (now plate). My current loss is 93.4# (down from 107, 6 mos ago) and I plan on losing another 40-45 to reach goal sometime in the next year. When I finally grasped the GHG, WW then made sense to me. I don’t have to think about how I can tinker with points when WW has told me what I’m supposed to eat on a daily basis. Sure I can have indulgences and I do, but I make sure that I have the GHG in every day too.

    Reply

    1. Great advice Jo-Anne, the WW Good Health Guidelines are a key to success with Weight Watchers that many of us forget about! Congratulations on your weight loss!!

      Reply

  10. I have been a member of weight watchers for 5 years and very much like the new plan . You can eat everything and in the pocket book all foods have points to follow . You are allowed so many points a day plus so many extra points for the week . I have to say I haven’t found it a hard program to follow at all .

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Debbie, I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and experience. I love that there is no “one way” to lose weight. There are lots of success stories for people who have done well counting points/points plus. For others it hasn’t been as successful as the older plans. I think you just have to persist until you find the way that works for you!!

      Reply

      1. Thank you, I have looked for the old WW Plan. I began with it in the beginning and it worked wonderfully only the years got away with me. I will try the old plan again!! THANK YOU AGAIN!!!

        Reply

        1. Hi Ruth,

          You are so welcome! I too had a lot of success on the 1990s exchange plan. It taught me a lot about healthy eating and portion control. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you!!

          Reply

          1. I also want to thank you. I started on Momentum, after the exchanges. Nothing was free, and I did well on it. Every program after that with free food, has been a brick wall. In fact I’ve gained back 30 lb of the 80 I had lost on Momentum. The old exchange program makes so much more sense. Eat it, mark it off.

        2. Ditto. You have inspired me. I dug out all of the old materials tonite. Tomorrow I will begin. Wish there was an App for my IPhone to track the daily intake in Food Groups rather then Points. WW are you paying attention?

          Reply

          1. Hi Becky,

            Thanks for sharing your thoughts. There is an app that will track your food groups! It’s called Food Tracker and is very basic but will get the job done. Cheers!

      2. I like the old way better back in 1990 they had a Monday thru Sunday menu 2 follow of what 2 eat each day and I had lost weight wish I could get ahold of the weight watchers menu now I do not like the new way.Shirley

        Reply